


The Thanks Of A Grateful Nation

by Cesare



Category: Captain America (2011), Iron Man (Movies), The Avengers (2012)
Genre: Angst, M/M, Substitution, Surrogate
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-11-05
Updated: 2011-11-05
Packaged: 2017-10-25 17:35:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 649
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/272966
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cesare/pseuds/Cesare
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The end notes give a warning which is also a spoiler.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Thanks Of A Grateful Nation

**Author's Note:**

  * For [helens78](https://archiveofourown.org/users/helens78/gifts).



"It's not that I don't want to," Steve says.

"Obviously," Tony answers, eyeing him. Steve's interest is really, really... evident. "I've got to say, about that serum. When it enhanced you to the peak of human physical fitness... I mean, it looks like there were some other, uh, 'peaks' involved, that's all I'm saying."

Steve doesn't answer, too deeply involved in whatever moral quandary he's contemplating. "I really want to. But you have to understand, for me, the war, the time I came from... it's just a few months ago. I left people behind. People I really didn't mean to-- people I planned to see again. I had commitments."

"I get that," Tony soothes. "I read your file. I understand." Boy, did he. He read the _hell_ out of that file, because the accompanying pictures... wow. Steve was appealing both Before and After his transformation-- sure, the shallow side of Tony is really really into the After, but he likes to think he's got a soft spot for the intelligent underdog that would've let him appreciate the Before version of Steve too.

"You do?" Steve's hopeful look is potent enough to fuel rockets.

"I really do," Tony tells him. Steve's compatriots feature in his file too. That Peggy Carter, now. She reminds Tony a little of Natasha. Competence, intelligence, beauty, poise and gorgeous red hair. She won the Congressional Medal of Honor in the end. It's no wonder Steve harkens back to her even now, sixty-odd years later, when it was practically yesterday for him.

"And you don't mind?" Steve sounds a little incredulous. Well, he's old-fashioned. Which makes sense: he's just plain old. But oh, so well-preserved.

"I really don't mind even a little bit," Tony promises. He doesn't. Peggy was then, Tony is now. And Tony's confident he can make Steve forget her.

Tony slips up close to Steve, easy and natural; he wants to fit with Steve just so, like a letter into an envelope, and it works out exactly the way he planned, Steve's arms coming up around him, Steve's mouth descending on his, hopeful, hungry.

Steve is beautiful in Tony's bed, inhibited in a way that makes him even sexier without holding him back. He blushes at every advance, he cries out when Tony touches him, but he lasts when Tony folds his legs back and takes him, throwing his crooked arm over his face like he just can't bear it at first, finally dropping it and looking up at Tony with wide bright eyes, with clinging hands.

After that, Tony hardly has to touch him before Steve's coming all over himself making utterly gorgeous noises, and that body, that literally perfect exquisite body, pulses and clenches and ripples under Tony, so of course, it's not long before he comes too. It really couldn't have been better in any way.

"Thank you," Steve murmurs, cleaning them both up, sweet to the last. "I don't... I know things have changed since my day, but I didn't realize they'd changed this much. I never expected you to let me... I thought it'd bother you."

"Nope," Tony waves a hand, all noblesse oblige. He doesn't begrudge Peggy any of Steve's lingering affection. Tony has Steve now, Tony can give Steve things that Peggy never could, never could've dreamed of; a whole new modern world of wonders is the least Tony has to offer.

"You're amazing," Steve breathes. "Do you mind if I say...? Can you let me, even that?"

Suddenly Tony's not so certain, but he's still limber and warm with post-coital bliss, and Steve's perfect muscular arms surround him, so what could it hurt, really. "Go ahead."

The thing is, he should've looked to see who that envelope was addressed to. Too late now. Steve squeezes him and murmurs, "Howard," with soft adoration.

And with the practice of a lifetime, Tony smiles and says, "Okay. Sure."

**Author's Note:**

> Also contains a suggestion of Steve/Howard Stark.


End file.
